unplanned

adjective

un·​planned ˌən-ˈpland 

: not expected or intended : not planned

an unplanned detour

an unplanned pregnancy

Synonyms of unplanned

• accidental
• unexpected

Examples of unplanned in a Sentence

an unplanned change in our itinerary—we got lost!

stumbled through a completely unplanned acceptance speech

Recent Examples on the Web

One study found that up to 75% of pregnancies among women in their 40s are unplanned. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 July 2026

Three out of four Americans make unplanned purchases during these late-night hours, the survey said. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

And Comanche 3 has experienced more than 40 unplanned outages due to mechanical issues; the most recent one has lasted about a year. — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 13 July 2026

Judd Apatow’s hit 2007 comedy about an unplanned pregnancy leading to unexpected romance almost had a different leading lady. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unplanned

• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand
• hinterland
• motherland